Anonymous
Post 06/29/2025 15:40     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:MCPS high schools don’t really function after last AP exam and this year that was May 22nd!

Last three days of school (June 14-17) were half days.

It’s a mess.


No final exams/papers/projects?
Anonymous
Post 06/29/2025 15:27     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

MCPS high schools don’t really function after last AP exam and this year that was May 22nd!

Last three days of school (June 14-17) were half days.

It’s a mess.
Anonymous
Post 06/29/2025 15:12     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

last 2.5 days at our school
are bonding activities, reflection, yearbook signing and picnic for middle schoolers, which is fine by me. the finals ended the last full week of school. my child learned a lot and had great teachers, so I don't mind. Those days gave my middle schooler time to reflect and properly thank her teachers as well as share with us how much she has grown this year. That stops in high school, with finals going into the last week.
Anonymous
Post 06/26/2025 23:14     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Jeez OP, get a life.
Anonymous
Post 06/22/2025 16:31     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:3 kids attend alexandria catholic school. Last 5-7 days of the school year were a total joke — almost the entire school day was parties, mass, attending a day-long “variety show “ (ie, kids jumping around to Taylor Swift), and helping teachers move desks. Why did those days count toward the required Diocese minimum school days?

Meanwhile, neighbor’s kids at FCPS actually did school work up until the last day of school. And FCPS is free!


I did long term subbing for FCPS before teaching in a K-8 Catholic school in NOVA.

FCPS was like going door to door at a multi-plex. Cars 1, Cars 2, Cars 3...

At our K-8, there were ceremonies where kids that were graduating told the younger kids what they see in them and hope they will carry on their legacies.
The priest blessed the children and reminded them to attend Mass over the summer with their families.
Yearbooks were signed at all grade levels.
There was a "moving up" ceremony for kinder students. Adorable. They sang about how proud they were of their work and how much they loved their friends.
Some kids offered to help organize my books and talked about how much they loved some of the novels.
Cards were made for teachers who were leaving (some of whom they have know their entire lives).
In some cases, furniture that wasn't treated so well was fixed or cleaned, which taught the kids some responsibility.

These old-school moments are really special because they speak to the bonds the children have made, and gives them a chance to show off what they learned or the people they have become with the guidances of a community (in school and/or as part of the parish).

The nice thing is, the half a dozen or so people who decided that those days were not worth their children's time were NOT treated poorly for staying home, but when parents wondered why their kids did not get awards for being a good citizen or a team player....I was glad I didn't have to write the email back.

I agree with the other poster(s) who say that your family is probably not attending a school that reflects your values.


Anonymous
Post 06/21/2025 15:28     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

30 years ago, we did the same thing the last day of school except at least 2-3 days were half days just to satisfy the 180 days. We did field day, field trips, had really long recesses, watched movies, had popsicles, etc. We helped the teacher clean the classroom too.

I'm a teacher and out EOY assessments ended at the end of May. We taught the curriculum until the last week when we needed some time for grading. The only time we have is often taken up by class planning meetings for next year, retention meetings, etc so we put on a movie or let the kids play in centers while we do grades.
Anonymous
Post 06/21/2025 12:57     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^oh sorry, honor roll. Not dean’s list.


No. But they sure as hell posted the “honor roll of DONORS.” Which speaks volumes about their priorities!


It IS you!

Have a great summer. Certainly your kids’ teachers will enjoy their break from you.


I bet you’d be IRATE if they didn’t post that “honor roll of donors,”
and you got no public credit for that $251 you gave! But fortunately, they did, so now all the parents are well aware of your generosity and virtue.


Interesting you think you know if people donate and how much. Are you psychic?

Summer will be a good time for you to think up more criticisms of the school you send your kids to even though you hate it.

Poor kids.


I feel bad for kids whose parents are supplicants and just accept whatever their school does without criticism or reflection. Sad. I get it — you have no other choices, so you rationalize all the BS and pretend you’re ok with it. But deep down, you know the critics are right.


So you have choices and every single year, you choose a school you hate.

Why?


You’re assuming it’s a “choice.” Spouse can be insisting on it. Other options might not be feasible or are worse.

Instead of speculating about OP’s motivations and options, why not just address the substance of the criticism? If you have anything intelligent to say.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2025 16:15     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^oh sorry, honor roll. Not dean’s list.


No. But they sure as hell posted the “honor roll of DONORS.” Which speaks volumes about their priorities!


It IS you!

Have a great summer. Certainly your kids’ teachers will enjoy their break from you.


I bet you’d be IRATE if they didn’t post that “honor roll of donors,”
and you got no public credit for that $251 you gave! But fortunately, they did, so now all the parents are well aware of your generosity and virtue.


Interesting you think you know if people donate and how much. Are you psychic?

Summer will be a good time for you to think up more criticisms of the school you send your kids to even though you hate it.

Poor kids.


I feel bad for kids whose parents are supplicants and just accept whatever their school does without criticism or reflection. Sad. I get it — you have no other choices, so you rationalize all the BS and pretend you’re ok with it. But deep down, you know the critics are right.


So you have choices and every single year, you choose a school you hate.

Why?
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2025 16:00     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^oh sorry, honor roll. Not dean’s list.


No. But they sure as hell posted the “honor roll of DONORS.” Which speaks volumes about their priorities!


It IS you!

Have a great summer. Certainly your kids’ teachers will enjoy their break from you.


I bet you’d be IRATE if they didn’t post that “honor roll of donors,”
and you got no public credit for that $251 you gave! But fortunately, they did, so now all the parents are well aware of your generosity and virtue.


Interesting you think you know if people donate and how much. Are you psychic?

Summer will be a good time for you to think up more criticisms of the school you send your kids to even though you hate it.

Poor kids.


I feel bad for kids whose parents are supplicants and just accept whatever their school does without criticism or reflection. Sad. I get it — you have no other choices, so you rationalize all the BS and pretend you’re ok with it. But deep down, you know the critics are right.
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2025 15:52     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Hasn't school always been like this? I am in my 50s and what OP describes is exactly what my last handful of days were like as a student, every single year at my K-12 private. Field days, clean up days, field trips, etc. They were great community builders and a great ways to end school on a positive note.


Sounds lovely. Not what happened here. Rather, it was sitting around doing little or nothing, maybe watching some tv.

Anyone old enough to remember erasing any stray marks and using sand paper on the closed book pages so the textbooks were "like new" for the next year's class?


Ugh. Yes. The teacher would hand us random textbooks, too. Not just your own, so there was no real benefit to caring well for your book! I remember that being mind numbing. I probably also did a really poor job at it…
Anonymous
Post 06/20/2025 15:09     Subject: Last week of school shouldn’t count

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Hasn't school always been like this? I am in my 50s and what OP describes is exactly what my last handful of days were like as a student, every single year at my K-12 private. Field days, clean up days, field trips, etc. They were great community builders and a great ways to end school on a positive note.


Sounds lovely. Not what happened here. Rather, it was sitting around doing little or nothing, maybe watching some tv.

Anyone old enough to remember erasing any stray marks and using sand paper on the closed book pages so the textbooks were "like new" for the next year's class?